Fixture for freight car doors



F. M. HESS FIXTURE FOR FREIGHT CAR nqogs July 25, 1950 Filed May 9, 1947' 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

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July 25, 1950 F. M. HESS FIXTURE FOR FREIGHT CAR DOORS Filed May 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a W y W a m V.$ n mu wMNM N QM N m I} w? Patented July rlxtr'ininfon rnmdfir' cAn-noons aFranciskM. Hess, llhicago, .Ill., ,ass igncr to Bulb. mane-Standard gGar Manufacturing Company,

Chicago, 111,, a corporation of :Delaware 12 claims. 1015292 18133 invention relates to sliding-doors, as for example the sidedoo'r's for railway box cars, and more particularly ;to a take-up for maintaining the door in its extreme closed position. The t'ake up may al's'o-ceoperate-tom'aintainthe door 5 in open positior' The take-up herein is adapted *toeliminate slack between a sliding door'a'nd the associated car sid'egbut in'a'ddition, it is yieldable so that impact shocks or stresses are'compensated for tc avoid impact damage. v

One object of the invention is to --provi de-a take-up capable of maintaining a sliding door in pressure engagement with a front'doorstop .w hlamong other things, cooperates to mainl1 ariec'essary in-the construction of ears because ithe 'car uses heavy members and because heavy duty is im'p'os'e'd on the car. This feature greatly :facilitat'es sub-assembly-of the various parts of the invention to the memberswh ic'h are "later applied-to the car.

:fiStill another object is 'to provide *9, take-up wherein parts thereof that bear against each other-have anangular relationship; with movable cooperating parts, such that displacement or ttemporaryreleaseoccurs under conjditions'of impact. Aswill be understood, irnpact stressesfor shock. occur between a door and the i associated car side, andtherefore the provisioniof cynic; able or kreleasable take-up is ne'cess'ary to avoid an L1:

.- Referring to Figsn l, 2 and 4, my-take-up ill) damage. Following this momentary or temporaryrelease ofthe-take-up therelationshi'p of -the partszissuch'that they go' lnto action very rapidly :tofirmly reset the take-up tov hold the door tig-hte llva lnclo'sedposition. Thisfeature of the angular lrelaticnshipis a distinctaidin the periodic movement of the several -members as described iand makes-possible the aforementioned: compensation for sub:assembly tolerances a l czA-i ke-lmnf the character herein .functionsito app1y ;pressureto a sliding door-jsuchithat the r --1eni'ents to thus weatherproof between the door and the car side -.at these oints. Alsoby main ztainingrthe doorunder. pressure against the stop undesirable playv between these parts elimilnate'dito thus-avoid objectionable vibrationsresulti'ng Iinlunduenwear. a

Other objects and advantages of the Invention .will be apparent as the description proceeds, :r'eferenc'e being had to the accompanying draw.- :ings wherein one form of the invention is shown. It is. to beaunder'stood that. the description and drawings are illustrative only, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it isilimited.by-g'the claims. g r

I "in thev'drawings; a a l (Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryelevational view of a railway box: car side showing a portion of a sliding door equipped with the take-up of the inven tion; t. l. EEigulZ' iS an enlarged sectional view on 1ine'2 '-2 01 Fig. 1; e :Eig. :3-.is a frontLview of my take-up; .c Figlzl is-La side.view,r artly in section, showing .the. take-up insideelevation; H 1 it i. :E'ig s5. is n fragmentary front view. of the v takeup showing the device'iniits' down, door holding zposition; and on l r 'p a v l-Eigwis a sectional-view on line 6-6of Fig; 3.

is shown applied/to sliding door H that isas- ;soci'atedwith side-l2 of arailwayboxcar. The box. :c'ar sidebelowlzthe door :opening has door attack I13 thatzprovidesia raceway for a plurality of :ballt bearingsil i (Fig. :4). Door. ll carries ifi'an'ge r :ad'apted to rideonlthe top-of balls It-4. rMe'mbersJi-B, .M and I5 cooperateto support the 'doorzandlpermit. easy. sliding door action.

A r'front: door fstop i8 (Figs. land 2): extends werticallyiat.thezfrontisideof the door opening, stop til-"being bent atits exposed flangea's'shown satire ztb providexready engagement with cooperaiting. member L211 carried by the front edge =of woman. Stop la'and member '20 also function iasinterlocking Weatherstrip elements, andthu's Ear-pressure engagement.betweenthem is desirable. fIhIe rear .f'edge of "the door carries vweather strip .elenient 2'! that cooperateswith an interlocking member 22 carri'edzon the c'ar side at theirearbf th'efloor opening: I l s The! take-up l0" (Fig. 3) --comprises upper g'uide -25 and spaced lower guide zli -the "twoigu i'd's "beings assdciate d with door l I hear tl'i'e bottcm EdEG tHGIEOfl Guides 25 and -ZG each have --a'U ishapedzoffsetito' provide guide surfac'es' a n'd the upper guide 25 is positioned on door H somewhat angle.

forwardly of lower guide 26. The guide surfaces of the two guides are disposed at an angle with the vertical so that they are in proper alignment to correspond with the predetermined position of the presently to be described lift handle which is supported thereby. Guides 25 and 26 are mounted on door H in any suitable manner as by rivets 21 or by welding.

A lifthandle '30 is mounted in sliding relationship to-door H *bymeans of guides 25 and 25, lift handle 30 having its axis thus inclined at the angle to the vertical as predetermined, depending upon materials used, etc., as will be discussed hereinafter. Lift handle 30 is provided with hand grip 3| for use by the trainmanin opening and closing the door.

The lower portion of lift handle3fl has its from surface 32 parallel to the handle axis and thus inclined at an angle forwardly of the vertical, while its rear surface 33 is tapered so that it inclines rearwardly of the vertical at a similar Thus the lower portion of lift handle 30 is shaped like a keystone wedge. This lower portion is provided with a wedge-shaped recess 34 that extends inwardly from rear surface 33, as

shown inFigs. 3 and 5. The inner or front surface 35 of recess 34 is substantially vertical, the wide dimension of the recess thus being at the topand the' narrow dimension at'the bottom. An elongated guide means or keeper 3'! extends from top to bottom within the recess, the keeper lying on an axis that bisects the angle between surface 35 of the recess andqthe rear surface 33 of the lift handle lower portion.

A wedge-shaped member or keystone 40 is disposed within recess 34, keystone 40 having a recess 4! that receives keeper 31. The keystone recess 41 is substantially wider than keeper 3'! so that loose engagement between the two elements is provided, this loose engagement per- ;mitting' horizontal displacement between keystone 40 and lift handle 30.

Thus horizontal motion between these members as well as vertical motion is possible, and these two motions occur-in a cooperative manner to'perform certain of the functions accomplished ,-by the invention. It will be notedthat the opposing eifective sides of keystone 40 are disposed with respect to each other at the same angle as exists between surface 35 of recess 34 and the rear surface 33' of the lift handle. A take-up stop 45 is mounted by rivets 48 or by welding to door track 13 in operative relationship to the above described other parts of the .take-up. Stop 45comprises three effective portions, a gently inclined portion 41, a horizogntal portion 48 and a more steeply inclined portion 49. These portions have surfaces extending outwardly from door track l3 that are adapted to engage the lower portion of lift handle 39. As .the sliding door i being closed, the lower portion of lift handle 30 first engages gently inclined portion 41 with the result that lifthandle 39 is accordingly moved upwardly. The handle is maintained in this position by horizontal portion 48, and as the door is moved to the left toward its extreme, closed position, lift handle 30 falls under the force of gravity so that its inclined rear surface 33 or the rear surface of keystone 40 engages steeply inclined portion 49, as shown generally in Figs. 3 and 5. The engagement of these parts serves as a lock to insure against inadvertent door opening, but in addition, due to the arrangement of the take-up it also gives rise to a constant pressure that urges the door to its ..-.4'\.--l extreme, closed position. This pressure results from the action of gravity upon lift handle 30 and the angular relationship that exists between lift handle surface 33, keystone 40 and portion 49 of the stop.

There is thus provided a take-up device that comprises two movable members that coact to provide an effective holding or locking member ,for maintaining the cardoor closed. The lift handle 30 is relatively large and heavy and therefore its movement is relatively slow and sluggish.

: -This sluggishness is further accentuated by the fact that thereis a relatively large amount of friction between'the lift handle and the upper and lower guides 25 and 26. This is particularly true due --to' the fact that the handle 30 moves along an axis that is sloping with respect to the vertical so that two of the faces of the guides 25 and 26 actually support at least some of the weight of the handle 33. The friction on the faces is therefore relatively great.

The keystone 49, on the other hand, moves along a vertical surface 35 where none of the weight ofithe keystone is supported. Thus the keystone. 46 can drop almost freely by gravity.

Also keystone 40 is light in comparison with the lift: handle and therefore moves quickly.

,Thus when the lift handle 38 is retracted upwardlyj due to impact loads on the car, its returning downward movement-is relatively slow,

whereas the keystone 49 drops rapidly to quickly nil in the momentarygap between the face 33 of ;the lift handle 30 and the cooperating face .ofthe inclined portion 490i stop 45. This results in very effective take-up action at all times. :When an impact load occursthe handle 30 is retracted as previously described and then returns relatively slowly to its pressure tight position. During this movement of the handle 30 the lighter. keystone to rapidly drops by successive small increments to supplement'the take-up of the space between the inclined portion 49 of stop and the rear surface33.

Inthe embodiment of the invention shown, the faces32 and 33-have the same angle of slope with respect to the vertical symmetrical axis. In other words, angle A (Fig. 3) is equal to angle B. The keystone-Wis disposed entirely on one side of the vertical symmetrical axis and has substantially true vertical movement. The angle between the forwardand rearward faces of keystone 49 isequal to theangle B.

Though'the take-up device is shown midway between the forwardand rear edge of the door, itobviously may be located anywhere else along thebottom edge.

are so designed as not-to bein a rigid shear relationship, impact stresses are harmlessly compensated for by the yieldable character of the take-up. -The angle .with the vertical made by portion 49 and the opposing surfaces carried by lift handle -30 is so .chosen' with respect to the direction of the lift handle axis and the coefficient of friction ,of the materials used for the parts that sliding action occurs when stresses develop. Thus'lift handle 30=would retract or move upwardly and the impact stress'would be harmlessly compensated for'by the release of the takeup; Asmentioned, however, upward motion of lift 'handle 30 does not involve any substantial loss of contact with stop 45 since keystone 40 moves rapidly and'also'in effect moves to the right' (Fig; 3) to maintain the contact relation- 7 ship. Thusa positive metal to metal contact be- Due to the fact that the parts of the take-up a nimgaro H!- is substantially =alwaysrmaiiitained. s

Another advantage of 'thei-present ftakeqip re sides-in the fact tha'tth-e relationshipibetween -the position of its parts on' 'the door "and-"the position ,of its stop on 'the door Ztrac'k not particularly critical. 'I his feature is importantun -connection with fabrication of, thecar wherein it is possible to, sub-assemble-the appropriateparts on the'do'or and also sub-assemble take 'up stop 45 on the 'door track. Dhe angular relationship of the cooperating parts :isamply-sufficienttocompensate ior a'ssembling tolerancesof thedegreeordina'rily encountered.

In :prior take-up arrangements the stopfli-is 4 installed after the car is assembled so that the stop can be properly located withr espect'to the take-up parts. Inother words, prior-devices are tailor made. The-increased take up in the present device-permits massproduction or-assembly line methods to be employedarid' at the same time obtains'a superior result. i

The angular relationship ofthexrespectiveparts of the take-up is dependent upon the coefficient of frictionof-thematerialused for thepa'rts. 'The angles-shown in: general in'the drawings have been found to be suitable where the lift handle, take-up stop and keystone were made :from metal forgings. However, if cast material were used, the coefficient of friction would be somewhatdarger and thereforethe angle sizes measured from the vertical would necessarily be increased. If the contact surfaces were rubberized 'or otherwise modified by a material possessed with an increased coefficient of friction, the anglesizes would befurther increased. The'important con sideration is to use materials and-angles that will cooperate --to provide release in case "of impact; i. e.--avoid rigid shear relationships; Other-wise; impact wouldresultin-damage=to sonie portion "of the assembly.

Referring back to Fig. 1, door-trackwlii maybe provided with an open position or back take-up sto 50, this stop 'being a reversed variation-of closed position -stop-45. 'Back stop 50 cooperates with lower surface -32 of lift handle '30t0 maintain the'doorin opensposition-against lower'xbackstop 5!.

From the above descriptionitisthought-that the construction andadvantagesoi this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes 1 and-modifications may *be made withoutdeparting from the spiritor losing the advantages of th -invention.

Having thus described the invention-what 'I claim as new and desire to :secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. An-impact release take-up for useon sliding doors for vehicles and the like-for establishing stone wedge-and an upper endthat-is inclined toward one end of the door, .a-take-up-stop, the long axis of the lift-handle being parallel withthe .front taper of the keystonewedgeyacontact surface on the take-up stop disposed-parallel with the rear taper-ofthe'keystone-wedgepand a movable keystone =slidably mounted on the; keys-tone wedgeso as to move lengthwise-of the keystone wedge between an-upper positionandfa'lowerzposition I on the keystone wedge, the movable keystone -having a rear tapered face substantially parallel with the face of "the first mentioned keystone-wedge,-the-,movable keystone in its upper position :being disposed with its near redgewiise osed -fsubstahtia11 within the limits oi the ear -edge-iof thevkeystone'wedgeirand'zin.its-lower posinonprojecting beyond the rear' ed-ge fo'f. the key stone wedge. I

. 2. .An impact'release take-:upfior use "on sliding doors for vehicles and the' like lf or establishing v pressurecontactbetween the doorxarrd d'ooriirame iWclcsedspositiori, said take 'up com'prisin'g "a-li'ft handle having:a lower end in the'shape' of a keystonefl wedge, and an upperedge that is inclined towa'rd one en'd efthe'doo'r, a't-ahe-up stop-,-ithe don axis of the lift handl'e' bein'g parallel with the fronttaper of the keystone wedge, azmovable keystone mount'ed o'n the keystone wedge portion of the lift handle and fhaving 'a :re'ar 'taperedi face substantially parallel with the rear face of'the first "mentioned keystone wedge, the ili ft handle b'eingadapted "to :move up andflownat a=relatively slowrate and the movable keystone :being adapted to move upan d down at a relatively taster mate, and a --oontact surface on the 'takeup "stop dis posed parallel with'the rear taper of themovable keystone, the movable keystone being 'ada'pte'd t'o mover apidly-intO the space between'the lceysto'ne wedge and the last mentioned contact: surface.

-3. A talce up for maintaining asliding "door in closed sposition againstwa front door stop,- 'said take up comprising :a pair of vertically spaced guides carried at the bottom of thedoor front; the upper guide being disposed forwardly of the lower .guide, aliit handleextending through and movable within said @guides and having its "axis inclined as'determined by the positionsof the r guides, the' lower portion of said ii-it handle hav ing its "front surface :p'ara'llel to the handle axis and thus inclined-"forwardly of -thevertical, the rearsurface of said lower .portion being ll'l'OliIlEd rearwardly of the vertical at a like :angie', said lower portion having-a wedge-shaped 're'ces's ax tendinginwardly fromsaiddear surfacazthe inner surface'of said-recess being vertic"al-,=a keeper-extending lengthwise of said :recess land"bisecting the angle between said inner surface "and said rear-surface, a movable keystone within-sardincess, said movable keystone having keeper receivingrecesssubstantially wider-than-said keep: e1 and=a take-up-stop= carriedby amemloer fixed with respect to said front -d'oorstop, said take-up stop having an-efiective surface parallel to and adaptedto" bear against the 'rear surface of said lower .handlerportion' and "the rearsurface ofsaid' movable keystonawhereby said-lifthandleiunder theforce of: gravitytends to assume alowermost position and thus cooperate with-said talic-"up stop tourge the door against theiront' doorstep, theangular relationship between the: hearing-stir face of saidlif-t handle lower :portion andthe' handle-axis cooperating under stress merma temporaryirelease of the"take-upmliile is'aicfi mew able keystone maintainscontinuous 'contact with said take-up stop.

A take-up formaintaininga sliding door in closed position against "a frontdoor ste sfa'id take-up comprising a lift handleassociatedwith saiddoor and having its "axis inclinedforwardly at an= angle to the vertical, means for 'mouii-ting said-lift handle onsaid door: for 1movement alongits axis, thelowenportionof said lift handle having its-- reai" -surface inclined rearwardl'y of the vertical at an angle oorrespondingtd the'j'ang le made-with thevertical by the handle axis, --s d lower portion having a wedge=sliaped-"recess en tending inwardly frorn said ear su1"face,*the in ne'r surfaee10ffsaid 'recess being vertical; guide" an ma -.0

means extending lengthwise of said recess and 'bisecting the angle between said inner surface and saidrearsurface, a movable keystonedis posed within said recess and. loosely mounted for vertical and horizontal motion on said guide means, and a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said front door stop, said take-up stop having an effective surface parallel .to and adapted to bear against the rear surface of said lower handle portion and the rearsurface of said movable keystone, the angular relationship between the bearing surface of said lift handle lower portion and the handle axis cooperating under stress to effect temporary release of the take-up while said movable keystone maintains continuous contact with said take-up stop.

' 5. A take-up for maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted on said door with its axis inclined forwardly at an angle to the vertical, the lower portion of said lift handle having its rear surface inclined rearwardly at a like angle to the vertical, said lower portion having a wedge-shaped recess extending inwardly from said rear surface, the inner surface of said recess being vertical, guide means extending lengthwise of said recess and bisecting the angle between said inner surface and said rear surface, a movable keystone within said'recess and associated with said guide means for vertical and horizontal motion with respect to said lowerv portion, and a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said front door stop, said take-up stop having an effective sur face parallel to and adapted to bear against the rear surface of said lower handle portion and the rear surface of said movable keystone, the angular relationship between the bearing surface of said lift handle lower portion and the handle axis cooperating under stress to effect temporary release of the take-up while said movable keystone maintains continuous contact with said take-up stop.

6. A take-up for maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted on said door with its axis inclined forwardy at an angle to the vertical, the lower portion of said lift handle having its rear surface inclined rearwardly at a like angle to the vertical, said lower portion having an elongated guide means bisecting the angle between the vertical and said rear surface, a movable keystone carried by said guide means and movable vertically and horizontally with respect to said lower portion, means on said lower portion providing continuous contact with the front surface of said movable keystone, the rear surface of said movable keystone being parrallel to the rear surface of said lower portion, a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said front door stop, said take-up stop having an effective surface parallel to and adapted to bear against the rear surface of said lower handle portion and the rear surface of said movable keystone, the angular relationships between the respective moving members and the vertical being correlated with the coeflicients of friction of the materials used whereby conditions of stress effect temporary release of the take-up while said movable keystone maintains continuous contact take-.upi. comprising a lift handle slidably mounted on's'aidudoor with. its axis inclined forwardly at an angle ,to the vertical, the lower portionof said' lift handle having its rear surface inclined rearwardlyvof the vertical at a like angle, a take-up stoprcarried by a member fixed with respect'to. saidfront door stop, said take-up stop having, an effective surface parallel to and adapted to bear against the rear surface of said lower handletportion, and a movable keystone carried by said lower handle portion and adapted to. move vertically and horizontally with respect to said portion, said movable keystone having a front surface continuously in contact with said lower portion and arear surface parallel to the effective surface of said take-up stop, the angular relationships between the bearing surfaces of said members and the vertical being correlated tothe coefficients of friction of the materials used wherebystress conditions effect temporary release of .the take-up while the rear surface of said movable keystone maintains continuous contact with said take-up stop.

89A take-upfor maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted onsaid door with its axis inclined forwardly at an angle to the vertical, a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said frontdoor stop and disposed in effective relation to the lower portion of said lift handle, the lift handle lower portion and said take-up stop having cooperating opposing bearing surfaces disposed at an angle rearwardly of the vertical, the said last named angle. and the angle between the handle axisand the vertical being chosen with respect to .the coefiicients of friction of the material used whereby conditions of stress between said lift handle. and said take-up stop effect temporary releaserof the take-up, and a separate relatively lighter take-up member mounted on the lift handle lower portion and movable independently of the lift handle to take-up slack between the lower portion of the lift handle and the take-up stop duringthe temporary release of the take-up.

I 9. A take-up for maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted for substantially vertical motion on said door, a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said front door stop in effective relation to the lower portion of said lift handle, the lower portion Of said lift handle and said take-up stop having opposing bearing surfaces inclined at an angle to the vertical whereby stress developed between said'lift handle and said take-up stop effects vertical motion of said lift handle to temporarily releasesaid take-up, the force of gravity on said'lift handle tending to maintain a continuous contact between said bearing surfaces and thus urge the door against its front door stop, and a separate relatively lighter take-up member mounted onthe lift handle lower portion and movable independently of the lift handle to take up-slackbetween the lower portion of the lift handle and thetake-up stop during the temporary release .of the take-up.

-l0.'A take-up for maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted for substantially-vertical motion on said door, a take-up 'stop'carried by a member fixed with respectto said front door stop, the lower portion of:.said-lift handle and said take-up stop having opposing bearing surfaces inclined at an angle 9 to the vertical whereby stresses between said surfaces cause vertical displacement of said lift handle to momentarily release said take-up, and a movable keystone carried by said lift handle and having a rear surface continuously in contact with said take-up stop.

11. A take-up for maintaining a sliding door in closed position against a front door stop, said take-up comprising a lift handle slidably mounted on said door with its axis inclined forwardly at an angle to the vertical, a take-up stop carried by a member fixed with respect to said front door stop and disposed in adjacent relation to the lower portion of said lift handle, the lift handle lower portion and said take-up stop having cooperating opposing bearing surfaces disposed at an angle inclined rearwardly of the vertical, the said last named angle and the angle between the handle axis and the vertical being chosen with respect to the coefficients of friction of the material used whereby conditions of stress between said lift handle and said take-up stop effect temporary release of the take-up, and a movable keystone carried by the lower portion of said lift handle, said movable keystone having a front surface continuously in contact with said lift handle and a rear surface parallel to the bearing surface 0f said take-up stop, said movable key- 10 stone being mounted for limited vertical and horizontal motion whereby the rear surface thereof maintains continuous contact with said takeup stop irrespective of the momentary vertical position of said lift handle.

when in its lower position projecting beyond said edge of said keystone Wedge.

' FRANCIS M. HESS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- 25 Number Name Date 2,167,707 Busse Aug. 1, 1939 2,275,707 Wasberg Mar. 10, 1942 

